Adjustable spectacle shield for protecting the eyes from intense light and glare



Aug. 31, 1954 G. w. MOSHER 2,687,671 ADJUSTABLE SPECTACLE SHIELD FOR PROTECTING THE EYES FROM INTENSE LIGHT AND GLARE Filed May 5, 1950 HHIHIHIHIH INVENTOR. Gag/26E W Mos/15R Patented Aug. 31, 1954 ADJUSTABLE SPEOTACLE SHIELD FOR PRO- TEgTgg EYES FROM IN TEN SE LIGHT George :Mosher, Cincinnati, Ohio Application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,278

Claims.

as sunlight, headlights, interior lighting and the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a demai vision is not impaired.

A further object The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from as a permanent part thereof; and

Fig. 6 is a view in section taken on line VI- VI 55 of Fig. 5.

Throughout the drawings and the specification like reference characters indicate like parts. the drawings a form desired functional positions,

In Fig. 2, strip 3 When strip 3 is lowered and in the normal line of sight of both eyes, the lower straight edges of sections a. and b thereof are approximately on or slightly above the horizontal axis of the lenses. In this position the wearers eyes are protected from the bright rays of the sun or from bright lights, yet the lower portion of the lenses are unobstructed. The wearer may therefore look below the tinted sections a. and b or through them depending on the position and angle of the object being viewed. For example, if the wearer is driving an automobile into the sun as at sunrise or at sunset, his eyes are protected by the tinted sections a and b. However, he may look below lower edges 10 and view the panel board of the car or objects near or far that are not in the glaring rays without looking through tinted sections of strip 3. The protective device may be used safely for night driving whether or not sections a and b are in the line of sight because by raising the head slightly the vision is not impaired, yet protection is immedately available by raising the eyes or tilting the head slightly downward as though one were wearing bifocal lenses.

When there is of strip 3 it may for the protection be moved upwardly out of the line of sight in which position it is behind the transverse strip of frame 4 and substantially flush with the upper and lower edges thereof. Strip 3 need not be entirely behind 4 when raised to a position where it is out of the line of sight. Strip 3 need be raised only high enough for the lower edges It of sections a and b to be out of the line of sight. This condition is satisfied even though edges 10 are below the lower edge of frame strip 4, in which case a portion of each section a and b would be visible at all times.

A device such as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 may be worn by office workers who are exposed to glaring artificial light or who are sensitive to light reflected from the lenses into the eyes. When the device is worn for this purpose the wearer looks through the portions of the lenses below the lower edge of strip 3 while receiving the shade protection of strip 3.

Strip 3 may be made of transparent plastic tinted to the desired shade and depth of shade. The strip may, if desired, be constructed of material having Polaroid characteristics, that is, material that will polarize the light and thereby further reduce the effect of glare.

In Fig. 5, I have shown the protective device embodied in a spectacle frame H5 as a permanent part thereof. Frame 16 as illustrated, is of allplastic type although it may be a metal frame, as well. Strip 3 is 11 that is integral with frame It. comprises a transverse strip 18 corresponding part of frame 4. Strip I8 is secured at its upper edge to the lens holders of frame It and projects forwardly of the lenses as shown in Fig. 6. At the opposite sides of the spectacle frame, the ends of strip 18 are extended downwardly to form retaining and guide loops IQ for strip 3. The lower ends of the loops may be riveted to the lens holder as shown.

When strip 3 is in its protecting position it extends across the lenses as shown. When strip 3 is in its raised position, it lies behind frame strip is with the lower edges of sections a and 1) thereof substantially flush with the lower edge of the frame strip.

As shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, respectively, the

' visibility of the frame strip I to be secured by frame strips 4 and I8 may have projections 20 and 2| extending beyond the hinges of the template of the spectacle frames that serve to conceal the ends of strips 3 when in their raised positions.

The device embodying this invention may be so designed that whether it is in the form of a removable attachment for existing spectacles, or as a permanent part of 'a spectacle frame, it is not unsightly and not particularly conspicuous. It may be so designed as to have a decorative and attractive appearance.

The form shown in Fig. 5 may be used with or without lenses in the spectacle frame. It may be used by baseball players and athletes who engage in outdoor games where protection from the sun is needed. A spectacle frame provided with the tinted strip 3 would protect a baseball player while at bat against a bright background, as well as the sun, without impairing normal ball as it is delivered to him by the pitcher. Outfielders wearing my device would be protected from the bright sun when catching fly balls, and they would have normal, unimpaired vision of the ball as pitched to the batter because they can train their sight below the lower edge of strip 3. They are thereby enabled to keep their eyes on the ball as it travels from the pitcher tothe catcher, an important point as it enables the holders to start quickly when the ball is hit, in the direction of its flight.

Having thus described the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that modifications and changes may be made in the illustrative embodiments thereof without departing from either the spirit or the scope thereof.

Therefore, what is claimed as new and desired Letters Patent is:

l. A device for protecting the eyes against bright light, comprising a spectacle frame having a tinted transparent strip disposed forwardly of the nose piece of the spectacle frame, loops supported at the sides of the frame for receiving and frictionally engaging the ends of the strip to support the same in positions to which adjusted when moved vertically from a lower to an upper position, said strip having sections disposed on opposite sides of th nose piece, each section having a substantially straight horizontal edge at the bottom thereof, the width of each said strip section being such that when the strip is in its lowermost position the strip sections are in the normal line of sight of the eye with the lower edges thereof substantially on the horizontal axis of the eyes of the wearer, and when in its uppermost position the strip is above said normal line of sight.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the strip is flexible and that the spectacle frame is provided with a frame strip disposed forwardly of the transparent movable strip, the frame strip being at the top of the spectacle frame and of substantially the same shape and size as the transparent strip, whereby when the flexible transparent strip is in its uppermost pos'tion it is behind said frame strip.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the strip is flexible and that the spectacle frame is provided with an opaque frame strip disposed forwardly of the transparent movable strip, the frame strip being at the top of the spectacle frame and of substantially the same shape and size as the transparent strip, whereby when the flexible transparent strip is in its uppermost position it is behind said frame strip.

chment for spectacles comprising a rearwardly from the upper edge thereof adapted 4. An atta frame having a relatively narrow, transverse to yleldingly engage the top of spectacles as worn is above the normal line of sight of the wearer, 10 whereby the strip may be actuated by the weara transparent flexible tinted strip disposed bers fi gers 1'1 01" from t 11 16- f s ht 1 5 0 8 hind the frame st1 1p, the length and width of sad thereof. tinted strip being approximately equal to the .9. A device according to claim 1, characterized length and width of the frame strip, the frame by the fact that the tinted strip is provided with strip having loops adjacent the ends thereof for 15 a central portion that is shaped to conform apfrictionally engaging the tinted strip and supp x mately t0 the shape of the bridge of the porting the same in the frame, the vertical length wearers nose. of the loops being approximately twice the width 10. An attachment according to claim 4, charof the tinted strip whereby the tinted strip may acterized by the fact that he l we edges be raised to a position where it lies behind the 0f he p rti n f r n p r n in e s rip exframe strip, and lowered to a position where tending across the region of the eyes of the substantially the full width of said transparent wearer are substantially st ai ht a d parallel to strip is exposed to the sight of the wearer. the horizontal a s o th y by the fact that the ends of said tinted strip ex- References Cited in the file of this patent tend beyond the sides of the spectacle frame UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date efiesniaicfigers to or from the line of si ht posltlons 1,495,828 Weller May 27 1924 6. An attachment according to claim 4, char- 30 53 53 hgfi g gsgel gz by h f that the f m rip i 254122 Grove Feb 13, 1951 7. An attachment according to claim 4, char-- FOREIGN PATENTS acterized by the fact that the frame strip is pro- Number Country Date vided with inverted yieldable hooks extending 717,588 France Oct. 20, 1931 

